Refrigerated display case



Nov. 6, 1951 Filed Nov. 26, 1948 E. F. BRILL ET AL REFRIGERATED DISPLAY CASE 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Q1 INVENTORS:

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E. F. BRiLL ET AL Nov. 6, 1951 REFRIGERATED DISPLAY CASE 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed NOV. 26, 1948 1 BWZZZ Orgzga Z6. Schroeder INVENTO fflwafd I tiuu g;

Patented Nov. 6, 1951 REFBIGEBATED DISPLAY CASE Edward F. Brill and Orval W. Schroeder, Milwaukee, Wis.

Application November 28, 1948, Serial No. 62,144

Claims. 1

This invention relates, in general, to refrigerated display cases, and has particular relation to an improved refrigerated display case for keeping articles of merchandise in a cool and refrigerated condition and at the same time ready for free access and removal by the customer.

We have shown and shall describe the invention in connection with a case having a cabinet which is adapted to be left open when in use so that the merchandise is readily accessible for removal by the customer.

One of the main objects of the present invention is to reduce low temperature losses and maintain colder temperatures within the case.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved refrigerated air flow system for accomplishing the results set forth, and, more particularly, an improved arrangement of the merchandise within the case, together with an improved refrigerated air flow system related to the improved merchandise arrangement in a manner to reduce low temperature losses and maintain colder temperatures for the merchandise.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved form of refrigerated display case wherein the refrigerated air is circulated beneath the merchandise, upwardly through vertical channels between the merchandise, and over the top of the merchandise; also, if desired, along the back and front of the merchandise.

Another object of the invention is to provide a refrigerated display case of the character described having varlous features of novelty and advantages. and characterized by its simplicity in construction, its economy in manufacture. its effectiveness in use, and its ability to reduce low temperature losses and maintain colder temperatures for the merchandise within the case.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will appear from the following detailed description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings which illustrate the construction and operation of illustrative forms of cases embodying the present invention.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of one illustrative form of refrigerated display case embodying the present invention;

Figure 2 is a transverse vertical section from front to rear, taken on the line 2-2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a transverse vertical section sin!- ilar to Figure 2, showing another form of case embodying the present invention;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary longitudinal section taken on the line 44 of Figure 3;

Figure 5 is a fragmentary vertical section taken on the line 5-5 of Figure 4;

Figure 6 is a fragmentary detail section showing another form of construction for the upper ends of the panels which extend from front to rear of the deep compartments of the case; and

Figure '1 is a fragmentary detail section showing a further form of construction for the upper ends of said last mentioned panels.

The case shown in Figures 1 and 2 has vertical front and back walls I and 2, a bottom wall 3, and end walls I. The walls are heat insulated, for example, by forming them of inner and outer metallic shells 5 with suitable insulating material filling the space therebetween.

Disposed obliquely at the top of the front wall I is a multiple walled glass panel section I comprising spaced transparent panes, and there is an opening at 8 through which the contents of the case are accessible for removal from the case. A fluorescent lamp is provided at 9, it being understood that this lamp may be disposed in other portions as will hereinafter appear.

Within the case and extending lengthwise thereof are a plurality of cans or containers "I, II, and ii, for holding merchandise. for example, vertically stacked packages of frozen food or the like. The spring stops I3 for the packages ll are of the type more fully disclosed and claimed in our copendlng application Serial No. 62,142, filed November 26, 1948. The lower ends of the package containers l0, II, and II are positioned upwardly above the bottom wall 3 to form a bottom space therebetween. An upwardly inclined partition It extends rearwardly from a plate It to position spaced forwardly from the back wall 2, and then upwardly behind the rear package container "I to position substantially as shown, thus forming a bottom air channel It which opens at its rear end into a channel I! extending vertically along the back of the case.

A second partition It extends forwardly from the back wall 2 above the adjacent upper end of the partition ll, then downwardly between the adjacent vertical portion of partition I and the back of the rear package container II. From the lower end of its vertical portion the partition It extends forwardly between the partition I4 and the lower ends of the package containers II, II. and I2 to position spaced rearwardiy from the plate l6. Second and third vertical air spaces or channels I! and 26 are thus formed between the air space or channel I1 and the back of the rear package container i2, and the space between the bottom of partition I6 and the lower ends of the package containers is divided into air channels or spaces 2| and 22. The plate i6 and a wall 22 may be spaced from the front wall of the front package container l2 to form a vertical air space or channel 24 along the front of the front package container.

The upper ends of the package containers III, II and I2, are shown extending upwardly increasing distances from the front to the rear of the cabinet, and the upper ends of the front walls of the containers Ill and II are turned forwardly and project over the upper ends of the rear walls of containers II and I2 respectively. The upper end of the front wall of container I2 is turned forwardly and projects over the upper end of the wall 23. The upper end of the rear wall of container III is shown turned rearwardly and spaced from the adjacent wall of the case for circulation of the cold or refrigerated air, as will presently be described. The upper ends of the back walls of containers II and I2 and the upper end of the wall 22 have forwardly directed air outlets or ports 25 elongated lengthwise of the case, as shown in Figure 1.

In the illustrated embodiment of the invention, the case has a lengthwise extending compartment 26 forwardly of the front package container l2 for articles of merchandise, such as frozen food or the like. Within the case and beneath the compartment 26 there is a refrigerating coil chamber 21, and the refrigerating coil or heat transfer device is disposed within the coil chamber 21. The coil is shown of the tube and fin type, comprising the coiled tube or tubes 26 and fins 26. The tube or tubes 26 provide the primary cooling surface, and fins 29 provide secondary cooling surfaces as well known in the art. Other forms of coil or heat transfer devices may be employed within the scope of the preserft inventlon.

The coil or heat transfer device has frost accumulating surfaces, and therefore defroster means of the type disclosed and claimed in our copending application Serial No. 62,143, filed November 26, 1948, now Patent Number 2,571,192 granted October 16, 1951, or any other suitable or preferred defroster means, may be provided. Such means per se forms no part of the present invention, and therefore is not shown or described.

A suitable fan or blower 26 has its outlet ll opening into the forward end of the air channel l6, and its inlet 22 opens into the space surrounding the coil chamber 21. A baiile 23 extends lengthwise of the case and has its lower end extending downwardly into the coil chamber and between the coil turns for causing the air to pass downwardly into and then upwardly from the coil chamber 21 where it is cooled or refrigerated before passing to the blower 22 for circulation through the case. A vertical space 24 between the front wall of the compartment 26 and the front wall of the case directs the air which is directed over the package containers and compartment 26 to the air refrigerating and circulating means for refrigeration and circulation, as will be described.

The relatively short top wall a is shown or 4 insulated construction similar to the other walls of the case.

In operation of the case, with the blower or fan Ill and the refrigerating coil 26 in operation, air is drawn downwardly through the channel or space 24 and into the front of the coil chamber 21, from where it passes downwardly around the refrigeration coil and beneath the baffle 22 and then upwardly from the rear of the coil chamber 21 and to the inlet of the blower 26 through the space surrounding the coil chamber. The air is cooled or refrigerated in the coil chamber 21, and the refrigerated air is then circulated out throu h the outlet of the blower 36 and into the space or channel I6. The air passes rearwardly through the channel I6 and, from the rear end thereof, passes upwardly through the channel l1, and then downwardly through the channel 16. At the lower end of the vertical channel I! the air enters the space or channel 22 and flows forwardly beyond the forward end of the bottom leg of the partition I! from where it flows into the forward end of the space or channel 2|.

The refrigerated air, as it enters the channel 2|, passes in the direction of the arrows and upwardly through the lengthwise extending vertical channels or spaces 36 between package containers III, II, and I2, and upwardly through rear space or channel 26 and front space or channel 26. The refrigerated air which reaches the upper ends of the channels 26 flows through the air outlets 25 and is directed forwardly over the top packages il in the containers H and I2 forwardly of the respective channels 66. The refrigerated air which reaches the upper end of the channel 2|! flows around the upper end of the back wall of the rear package container l6 and then forwardly through the opening 21 and over the top packages I in the container Ill. The refrigerated air which reaches the upper end of the channel 24 flows through the air outlet or opening 25 and is directed forwardly, in general, as shown by the arrows.

The refrigerated air which flows forwardly from the openings 61 and 25 passes over the merchandise in compartment 26 and is then directed downwardly through the front channel 24 with any slight amount of spillage or make-up to the refrigerating and circulating means for refrigeration and recirculation as set forth. It will be noted that with the cabinet construction and air flow system shown and described, there is passed across the tops of the packages in the respective package containers Ill, II and I2 only the amount of cold air necessary for such packages. The cold air streams across the tops of the respective containers III, II and I2 are independent and need flow only relatively short distances forwardly before combining with the forward flow of cold air for the package container forwardly thereof.

The additional cold air flowing over the tops of the packages in he rear container builds up an additional cold air barrier against relatively warm air from the room. Approximately speaking, the air above that flowing forwardly as indicated by the arrows in Figure 2 is stratified and relatively motionless and more or less cold, but not as cold as the air below it.

Moreover, with the cold air passing upwardly and downwardly at the back of the case as shown in Figure 2, the full amount of the refrigerated air circulated by the blower 26 flows along the inside of the back of the case. thereby more clectively nipplyiag heat loml through the back of the case, with the result that there is less temperature rise of the air. Heat losses are thus reduced, and colder temperatures are maintained within the case.

In the particular embodiment of the invention selected for illustration, the opposite ends of the package containers III, II, and I! terminate short of the opposite ends of the case to form deep end compartments. Each of these end compartments is shown divided by a substantially vertically disposed panel 38 into two deep end compartments 3! and ll at each of the opposite ends of the case. This may vary within the scope of the present invention. In fact we contemplate within the scope ofthe broader aspects of the invention making the case with only the package containers ID, I I. and II, or with only dividing partitions and deep compartments, as well as with various desired combinations of package containers and partitions forming deep compartments.

The panel 3! and end compartments 3! and 40 illustrated in Figure 1 may be similar to those which will now be more fully described in connection with Figure 3 and 4.

The case shown in Figure 3 is similar, in general, to the case shown in Figures 1 and 2, and like parts are designated by primed reference characters corresponding with the reference characters used in connection with Figures 1 and 2. In the form of case illustrated in Figure 3 the partitions l4 and i8 shown in Figure 2 are omitted, and the channel of air space Ii into which the refrigerated air is delivered by the blower 30 opens directly upwardly into the vertical channels or spaces 36' and 24' and into a vertical space II at the back of the case.

The air flow in the form of case illustrated in Figure 3 is indicated by the arrows and is substantially the same as previously described, except that the refrigerated air flows up into the vertical channels or spaces 36', 24 and ll directly from the underlying channel or space I 8'. In this case, only a part instead of all of the amount of refrigerated air supplied by the blower 30' flows along the back of the case. This may not supply heat losses at the back of the case as fully as the previous embodiment of the invention, but the case illustrated in Figures 3 and 4 is less costly.

The side walls 42 of the compartments 3! and Ill, which, as previously stated, are similar to the compartments 39 and 40 of the preceding embodiment of the invention, extend transversely from front to rear of the case and are of hollow form. The hollow form of these walls provides upright air spaces or channels 43 which extend from front to rear of the case. These air channels or spaces 43 open upwardly from the bottom air channel or space It and, near their upper ends, have air outlets or ports ll elongated transversely of the case. In the illustrated embodiment of the invention, the ends of the package containers in, Ii and I! have walls of hollow form which provide upwardly and transversely extending air spaces or channels 45 opening into the adjacent end compartments l through air outlets or ports 48 elongated transversely of the case. This may vary within the scope of the present invention.

The compartment dividing panels 38' are of hollow construction as illustrated in Figure 4 to form therein vertical spaces or channels 41 which open upwardly from the bottom channel or space It. Near their upper margins the spaced side walls of the channels 41 have air outlets or ports 48 opening into the respective compartments 3! and It and elongated transversely or from front to back of the case. The panels 38' are movable lengthwise of the case to adiust the size of the compartments II and I0, and have laterally extending integral parts 48 at the bottom thereof which slide on the bottom walls 50 of the compartments 33' and Ill and keep the lower end of the vertical space on channel 41 in register with and opening directly from the bottom space It in the various positions of the panels. The upper ends of the panels 38' may be covered and finished by imperforate channels 5| extending along said upper ends of the panels from front to rear of the case as shown in Figure 4.

In operation of the case illustrated in Figures 3 and 4, with the blower or fan 30' and the refrigerating coil 23' in operation, air is drawn downwardly through the front channel or space 34 and into the front of the coil chamber 21' from where it passes downwardly around the coil and beneath baiile 33', and then upwardly from the rear of the coil chamber to the inlet 32' of the blower, through the space surrounding the coil chamber. The air is cooled or refrigerated by the coil, and is then circulated out through the outlet ll of the blower and into the bottom air space or channel It. From the channel It the cold air flows upwardly through air channels ll, 36', and 24', and then forwardly through openings or ports 31' and 25', and is circulated as described in connection with the preceding embodiment of the invention.

At the same time. cold air passes upwardly from the bottom channel ll into the vertical and transversely disposed air channels 43, I1 and 48. This cold air flows upwardly through these last mentioned channels and outwardly through outlets l8 and 45 over the frozen food or other aerchandise within the compartments 3! and In the modified form of top channel for the compartment dividing panel 38", as shown in Figure 6, the air outlets or ports 48' are similar to the air outlets or ports ll shown in Figure 4. In this case, however, the channel 5|, which otherwise corresponds with the channel 5| shown in Figure 4, instead of being imperforate, is of perforate form and is provided along the top and sides thereof with openings or perforations B2. In operation of the case with this form of top channel ii for the panels, some of the coil air flows out through the perforations SI, thus reducing frosting along the top of the panel.

The further form of top channel II" for the panel 33' in Figure 7 has only the perforations 52' along the top and sides of the same. In this case all of the cold air which flows upwardly through the channel 41" within the panel 38" flows out through the perforations 52'.

The embodiments of the invention shown in the drawings are for illustrative purposes only, and it is to be expressly understood that said drawings and the accompanying specification are not to be construed as a definition of the limits or scope of the invention, reference being had to the appended claims for that purpose.

We claim:

1. In a refrigerated display case, a cabinet having a front wall, a bottom wall, a back wall and end walls, a plurality of package containers positioned within said cabinet and extending lengthwise of the cabinet with the bottoms thereof spaced upwardly above the bottom wall of the cabinet to form a bottom space therebetween, said package containers having vertical spaces extending upwardly from said bottom space and between said containers: also upwardly from said bottom space and along the back of the rear container and the fro t of the front container, means for refrigerat and circulating air. means for directing the refrigerated air through said bottom space and upwardly through said vertical spaces, means for directing the refrigerated air forwardly from the tops of said vertical spaces over the tops of the packages in the respective containers, and means for directing the air directed forwardly over the tops of the packages to said refrigerating and circulating means for re-refrigerating and recirculating the air as set forth.

2. A refrigerated display case according to claim 1 wherein the upper ends of said package containers extend upwardly increasing distances from the front to the rear of the cabinet and wherein the tops of said package containers terminate below the means for directing the refrigerated air forwardly from the tops of the vertical spaces rearwardly of said containers.

8. A refrigerated display case according to claim 1 wherein there is a partition extending rearwardly within said bottom space to position spaced forwardly from said rear wall and then upwardly through the space along the back of the rear package container to position spaced from the top thereof whereby the cold air is caused to pass upwardly along the rear wall oi the cabinet and then downwardly along the back of the rear package container before entering the vertical spaces between the package containers.

4. A refrigerated display case according to claim 1 wherein there is a partition extending rearwardly within said bottom space to position spaced forwardly from said rear wall and then upwardly through the space along the back of the rear package container to position spaced from the top thereof, and wherein there is a second partition extending forwardly of said rear wall above the top of said first partition, then downwardly between said first partition and the back of the rear package container to position between said first partition and the bottoms of said package containers and forwardly to position spaced rearwardly of the front of said bottom space.

5. A refrigerated display case according to claim 1 wherein there is a compartment in said cabinet forwardly of the front package container and wherein the means for directing the air directed forwardly over the tops of the packages to said refrigerating and circulating means comprises a vertical space between the front wall of the cabinet and the front of said last mentioned compartment.

6. A refrigerated display case according to claim 1 wherein the means for refrigerating and circulating the air comprises a refrigerating coil chamber in said cabinet at the forward end of the bottom wall and inwardly of the lower portion of the front wall, a refrigerating coil in said chamber and a blower outside said coll chamber.

7. A refrigerated display case according to claim 1 wherein the means for refrigerating and circulating the air comprises a refrigerating coil chamber in said cabinet at the forward end of the bottom wall and inwardly of the lower portion of the front wall, a refrigerating coil in said chamber and a blower outside said coil chamber, and wherein there is a baiile disposed lengthwise of the cabinet and extending downwardly into the coil chamber for causing the air to pass downwardly into and upwardly from said cell chamber.

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8. A refrigerated display case according to claim 1 wherein there is a compartment in said cabinet forwardly of the frontpackage container and wherein the means for directing the air directed forwardly over the tops of the packages to said refrigerating and circulating means comprises a vertical space betwen the front wall of the cabinet and the front of said last mentioned compartment; also wherein the means for refrigerating and circulating the air comprises a refrigerating coil chamber in said cabinet beneath said last mentioned compartment, a refrigerating coil in said chamber and a blower outside said coil chamber.

9. A re'rigeiated display case according to claim 1 wherein the package containers terminate short of at least one end of the cabinet to form a deep end compartment.

10. A refrigerated display case according to claim 1 wherein the package containers terminate short of at least one end of the cabinet to form a deep end compartment and wherein said end compartment is divided by a substantially vertically disposed panel extending from the front wall to the back wall of the cabinet and of hollow construction to form a vertical space opening upwardly from the bottom space and provided adjacent to the top of the panel with outlet means for directing the refrigerated air out over the upper portion of the deep end compartment.

11. A refrigerated display case according to claim 1 wherein each of the opposite ends of the package containers terminate short of the ends of the cabinet to form deep end compartments and wherein said end compartments are divided by substantially vertically disposed panels extending from the front wall to the back wall of the cabinet and of hollow construction to form vertical spaces opening upwardly from the bottom space and provided adjacent to the tops of the panels with laterally directed outlet means for directing the refrigerated air out over the upper portions of the deep end compartments.

12. In a refrigerated display case, a cabinet having a longitudinal front wall, a bottom wall, a longitudinal back wall and end walls, a deep compartment extending from said front wall to said back wall for holding frozen food and the like, said deep compartment having a. bottom wall spaced above the bottom wall of the cabinet to form a bottom space, a side wall extending along the side of said deep compartment from the front wall to the back wall of the cabinet and of hollow construction to form a vertical space opening upwardly from said bottom space, means for refrigerating and circulating air, means for directing the refrigerated air through said bottom space and upwardly through said vertical space. and means for directing the refrigerated air from the top of said vertical space over the upper portion of said deep compartment, at least one of said longitudinal walls having associated therewith means defining a vertical space opening at its upper end from the upper portion of said deep compartment and extending downwardly for delivering the refrigerated air directed over the upper portion of said deep compartment downwardly to said air refrigerating and circulating means.

13. A refrigerated display case according to claim 12 the vertical space defined by means assoclated with at least one of said longitudinal walls is disposed between and defined by the front wall of the cabinet and a front wall of the deep compartment spaced rearwardly from the front wall of the cabinet.

14. In a refrigerated display case, a cabinet having a front wall, a bottom wall, a back wall and end walls, a deep compartment extending from said front wall to said back wall, said deep compartment having a bottom wall spaced above the bottom wall of the cabinet to form a bottom space, a substantially vertically disposed panel extending from the front wall to the back wall within and dividing said deep compartment, said panel being of hollow construction to form a vertical space opening upwardly from the bottom space and provided adjacent to the top of the panel with laterally directed outlet means, and means for refrigerating and circulating air through said bottom space upwardly through said vertical space and out laterally from the laterally directed outlet means adjacent to the top of said panel, said front wall havin associated therewith means defining a vertical space opening at its upper end from the upper portion of said deep compartment and extending downwardly for delivering refrigerated air received from the laterally directed outlet means of said panel downwardly to said air refrigerating and circulating means.

15. A refrigerated display case according to claim 14 wherein the panel is movable lengthwise of the cabinet for adjusting the size of the compartments and wherein the panel has laterally extending parts at the bottom thereof which slide on the bottom wall of the compartment and keep the lower end of the vertical space within the panel in register with said bottom space.

16. A refrigerated display case according to claim 14 wherein the top of the panel has upwardly directed cold air outlets in addition to the laterally directed outlet means.

EDWARD F. BRILL. ORVAL W. SCHROEDER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,050,063 Miliott Aug. 4, 1936 2,152,291 Starr Mar. 28, 1939 2,255,947 Starr Sept. 11, 1941 2,298,526 Caulk Oct. 13, 1942 2,332,174 Shreve Oct. 19, 1943 Certificate of Correction Patent N 0. 2,574,242 November 6, 1951 Column 8, line 7, for betwen read between; line 71, after 12 insert wherein;

same may conform to the record of the ease in the Patent Ofiice.

Signed and sealed this 26th day of February, A. D. 1952.

THOMAS F. MURPHY,

Assistant Commissioner of Patent. 

